Gripping means for game balls



Sept. 7, 1948. A. PARK 2,448,731

GRIPPING MEANS FOR GAME BALLS Filed Oct. 14, 1946 Inventor iii/31a ark Patented Sept. 7, 1948 UNIT ED S TAT E S PAT Q-FF I C E GRIFFIN G MEANS FOR GAME BALLS Arthur Park, Wheaton, Ill.

Application October 14, 1946', Serial No. 703,151

This invention relates to improved gripping means: for game balls, and has more particular reference to means applied to the conventional shapedleather. casing of a game ball'to enable players toobtain afirm'grip thereon and thereby facilitateshandling, spinning or curving of'the ball,v as occasion may require.

An' object of the present invention is to provide gripp ng means. ofthe above kind which is of a simple nature, readily applicable to the shaped leather: casing ofag'ame ball, and highly eiiicient for. the intended purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gamelballwitha gripping element that may be re y and firmly applied so as to resist ready damage or destruction; andwhichwill not noticeablymodifythe normalaction and characteristic of the ball.

The exact nature of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accom panying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a football equipped with gripping means embodying the present invention.

Figure ,2 is a ,view. similar. touFigure 1f illustrating the invention as applied to a ball of the type commonly used in playing softball.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, illustrating the invention as applied to an ordinary baseball.

Figure 4 i an enlarged perspective View of one of the gripping elements, per se, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the present invention is applicable to various types of game ball-s which embody a shaped leather casing, such as the football F shown in Figure 1, the softball S shown in Figure 2, or the ordinary baseball B shown in Figure 3. In each instance, the game ball includes a shaped leather casing 5, 5a or 512. In each case, the leather casing is provided with a plurality of gripping elements 6 for anti-slipping engagement by the fingertips or the finger tips and thumb-tip of the hand gripping the ball.

Each gripping element comprises a thin rubber disc 1 having a central raised portion 8 which is of slightly greater thickness than that of the leather casing of the ball and which has a suitably roughened surface 9, the raised portion 8 being preferably of circular form as shown.

In applying each gripping element to the game ball, the leather casing of the latter is provided with an opening or aperture ll] of substantially 6 Claims. (CL 273-60) the same size and shape as the raised portion 8 of'the gripping element and through whichlthe latter protrudes,- the marginal po'rtionof the disc I which projectsbeyond the raised. portion 8 being disposed against the inner surface portion of the leather casinglinsurrounding relation to the opening 8 andb'eingsuitablysecuredto the leather casing as' by stitching ll, cementing or the'like. In this way, tlie gripping element is firmly attached and'heldto-theeasin'g of the ball with the roughened'surface 9 -of the raised portion 8 nearly flushwith the outer surface of the casing so that the gripping element doesnot materially interfere with the normal action and characteristics of the game ball.- The raised portion 8- is made of sufficient size to justv afford enough gripping surface required for the tipsof the finger or ofthe thumb, the gripping elements for the'thumb being slightly larger than those for the fingers;

In applyingthe invention with respect" to the ca sing-5 of a football F s shown in Figure 1', a set of gripping elements is preferably provided adjacent each end of the ball, four 'of'the gripping elements being provided in a row for engagement by the tips of the fingers and one being provided at an adjacent point for engagement by the tip of the thumb of the same hand. These sets of gripping elements are provided at opposite ends of the football in reversed relation so that the gripping elements for the fingers and that for the thumb will be properly disposed.

In applying the invention to a softball as shown in Figure 2, a plurality of four of the gripping elements are provided in a row for engagement by the tips of the fingers and another is provided at a spaced point for engagement by the tip of the thumb, this arrangement being desired by reason of the fact that softballs are thrown underhanded and are invariably gripped by all of the fingers and the thumb of the same hand when thrown.

In applying the invention to an ordinary baseball as shown in Figure 3, it is simply necessary to provide two of the gripping elements in adjacent relation for engagement by the fingertips of two fingers of the hand, a baseball being usually gripped in this way when pitching the same, especially when curving the ball.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction, manner of use and advantages of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. Modifications and minor changes in details are contemplated, such as fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a game ball including a shaped leather casing provided with an opening of a size substantially corresponding to the area of a finger or thumb tip, a gripping element comprising a resilient disc having its margin secured to the inner surface of said casing in surrounding relation to said opening, said disc having a substantially central raised portion fitting and protruding outwardly through said opening and having a roughened outer surface.

2. In combination with a game ball including a shaped leather casing provided with an opening of a, size substantially corresponding to the area of a finger or thumb tip, a gripping element comprising a resilient disc having its margin secured to the inner surface of said casing .in -surrounding relation to said opening, said disc having a substantially central raised portion fitting and protruding outwardly through said opening and having a roughened outer surface, said raised portion being of a uniform thickness slightly greater than the thickness of said casing.

3. In combination with a game ball including a shaped leather casing provided with a row of adjacent openings of a size substantially corresponding to the area of a finger tip, and a gripping element associated with each of said openings, each gripping element comprising a resilient disc having its margin secured to the inner surface of said casing in surrounding relation to the associated opening, said disc having a substantially central raised portion fitting and protruding through said adjacent opening and having a roughened outer surface. a

4. In combination with a football including shaped leather casing provided at least at one end with a plurality of adjacent openings arranged in a row and another opening in spaced relation to the first named openings to respectively correspond to the posit-ion of the fingertips and the thumb-tip of a hand gripping the ball, and a gripping element associated with each of said openings, each gripping element comprising a resilient disc having its margin secured to the inner surface of said casing in surrounding relation to the associated opening, said disc having a central substantially raised portion fitting and protruding through said opening and having a roughened outer surface.

5. In combination with a baseball of the softball type including a shaped leather casing provided with a plurality of adjacent openings arranged in a row and a further opening spaced from the first named openings to respectively correspond to the positions of the fingertips and thumb of a hand gripping the ball, a gripping element associated with each of said openings, each gripping element comprising a resilient disc having its margin secured to the inner surface of said casing in surrounding relation to said opening, said disc having a substantially central raised portion fitting and protruding through the adjacent opening and having a roughened outer surface.

6. In combination with a conventional baseball including a shaped leather casing provided with a pair of adjacent openings corresponding to the area of a fingertip, a gripping element associated with each of said openings, each gripping element comprising a resilient disc having its margin secured to the inner surface of said casing in surrounding relation to said opening, said disc having a substantially central raised portion fitting and protruding through said opening and having a roughened outer surface.

ARTHUR PARK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name v Date 2,325,128 Grady July 27, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 314,262 Italy Jan. 22, 1934 

